4,099 research outputs found
Highly efficient single photon emission from single quantum dots within a two-dimensional photonic bandgap
We report highly efficient single photon generation from InGaAs
self-assembled quantum dots emitting within a two-dimensional photonic bandgap.
A strongly suppressed multiphoton probability is obtained for single quantum
dots in bulk GaAs and those emitting into the photonic bandgap. In the latter
case, photoluminescence saturation spectroscopy is employed to measure a ~17
times enhancement of the average photon extraction efficiency, when compared to
quantum dots in bulk GaAs. For quantum dots in the photonic crystal we measure
directly an external quantum efficiency up to 26%, much higher than for quantum
dots on the same sample without a tailored photonic environment. The results
show that highly efficient quantum dot single photon sources can be realized,
without the need for complex nanopositioning techniques
Direct observation of acoustic phonon mediated relaxation between coupled exciton states in a single quantum dot molecule
We probe acoustic phonon mediated relaxation between tunnel coupled exciton
states in an individual quantum dot molecule in which the inter-dot quantum
coupling and energy separation between exciton states is continuously tuned
using static electric field. Time resolved and temperature dependent optical
spectroscopy are used to probe inter-level relaxation around the point of
maximum coupling. The radiative lifetimes of the coupled excitonic states can
be tuned from ~2 ns to ~10 ns as the spatially direct and indirect character of
the wavefunction is varied by detuning from resonance. Acoustic phonon mediated
inter-level relaxation is shown to proceed over timescales comparable to the
direct exciton radiative lifetime, indicative of a relaxation bottleneck for
level spacings in the range $\Delta E\$ ~3-6 meV.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, submitted for publicatio
Optically Probing Spin and Charge Interactions in an Tunable Artificial Molecule
We optically probe and electrically control a single artificial molecule
containing a well defined number of electrons. Charge and spin dependent
inter-dot quantum couplings are probed optically by adding a single
electron-hole pair and detecting the emission from negatively charged exciton
states. Coulomb and Pauli blockade effects are directly observed and
hybridization and electrostatic charging energies are independently measured.
The inter-dot quantum coupling is confirmed to be mediated predominantly by
electron tunneling. Our results are in excellent accord with calculations that
provide a complete picture of negative excitons and few electron states in
quantum dot molecules.Comment: shortened version: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, to appear in Phys.
Rev. Let
Evidence for the Galactic X-ray Bulge II
A mosaic of 5 \ros~PSPC pointed observations in the Galactic plane
() reveals X-ray shadows in the keV band cast by
distant molecular clouds. The observed on-cloud and off-cloud X-ray fluxes
indicate that % and % of the diffuse X-ray background in this
direction in the \tq~keV and 1.5 keV bands, respectively, originates behind the
molecular gas which is located at 3 kpc from the Sun. The implication of
the derived background X-ray flux beyond the absorbing molecular cloud is
consistent with, and lends further support to recent observations of a Galactic
X-ray bulge.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, 2 table
Enhanced photoluminescence emission from two-dimensional silicon photonic crystal nanocavities
We present a temperature dependent photoluminescence study of silicon optical
nanocavities formed by introducing point defects into two-dimensional photonic
crystals. In addition to the prominent TO phonon assisted transition from
crystalline silicon at ~1.10 eV we observe a broad defect band luminescence
from ~1.05-1.09 eV. Spatially resolved spectroscopy demonstrates that this
defect band is present only in the region where air-holes have been etched
during the fabrication process. Detectable emission from the cavity mode
persists up to room-temperature, in strong contrast the background emission
vanishes for T > 150 K. An Ahrrenius type analysis of the temperature
dependence of the luminescence signal recorded either in-resonance with the
cavity mode, or weakly detuned, suggests that the higher temperature stability
may arise from an enhanced internal quantum efficiency due to the
Purcell-effect
Shape control of QDs studied by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy
In this cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy study we investigated
various techniques to control the shape of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs)
and wetting layers (WLs). The result shows that application of an indium flush
during the growth of strained InGaAs/GaAs QD layers results in flattened QDs
and a reduced WL. The height of the QDs and WLs could be controlled by varying
the thickness of the first capping layer. Concerning the technique of antimony
capping we show that the surfactant properties of Sb result in the preservation
of the shape of strained InAs/InP QDs during overgrowth. This could be achieved
by both a growth interrupt under Sb flux and capping with a thin GaAsSb layer
prior to overgrowth of the uncapped QDs. The technique of droplet epitaxy was
investigated by a structural analysis of strain free GaAs/AlGaAs QDs. We show
that the QDs have a Gaussian shape, that the WL is less than 1 bilayer thick,
and that minor intermixing of Al with the QDs takes place.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figure
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